


Forever and Always

by bxrchie



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Childhood Friends, Childhood Sweethearts, F/M, Friends to Lovers, Post-Time Skip, barchie obviously, timing still sucks for them
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-31
Updated: 2020-06-15
Packaged: 2021-03-03 00:55:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,753
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24476110
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bxrchie/pseuds/bxrchie
Summary: Photos were scattered everywhere. Their childhood all over her floor in pictures. She meant everything to him and he meant everything to her.But will everything turn out the way they want to or will they have to wait any longer?
Relationships: Archie Andrews & Betty Cooper, Archie Andrews/Betty Cooper
Comments: 2
Kudos: 29





	1. One

Photos were scattered everywhere. Their childhood all over her floor in pictures. She meant everything to him and he meant everything to her. That kiss in his garage was just another memory if she let it stay that way or if she acted on it, would it become more? If she knew that she loved Jughead, then why did she have to keep on reminding herself, reminding him that she did. Was that her way of not letting her heart move any further into something that she damn well knows she wanted to explore. Betty pulled up her legs and let her chin rest on her knees while she hugged them. A tear fell down her cheek. Before she even knew she had started crying, she couldn't stop. They came streaming down like a river. But what was the goal of this? To feel sorry that she let the best thing in her life go because she was lying to herself? That's what it felt like to her. Thirty minutes passed before she realised there could be something else that she could be doing. She could be going over to his house and spending every moment she could before she left for college in a few months. Betty pulled herself up off of the floor and looked straight over into the mirror. The last time she properly looked at herself in that mirror was when she was getting ready for the dance. The moment where it all went wrong. The last time she felt truly happy.

Each step she took down the stairs felt like a lifetime. Her mom was sitting at the dining table with FP, both looking at the papers that were in front of them. She glanced over at them looking happy and she couldn't even bring herself to be happy for them. Once she stepped out of the door, she looked straight over at the door in front of her, contemplating on going back inside her own and crying some more. But she knew that wouldn't be any good. Step by step over to Archie's front door, made her think of all of the memories they'd had together. She knew she had truly messed up this time. Her hand delicately knocked against the hardwood. The door flung open in which she hope Archie would have opened it and she would have been able to tell him that she loved him and that she had made a huge mistake. But I guess that wasn't meant to be, was it? "Hi, Betty. Is everything okay?" Mary asked when she opened the door. "Umm, yeah. Is Archie here by any chance?" Betty asked nervously. She had a gut feeling something wasn't right, the way Mary's face fell when she asked if he was here. "Did he not tell you?" She replied. Betty felt her stomach drop. She wasn't sure if Mary had said anything else as before she knew it she was running up the stairs to Archie's room.

She pushed the door open to reveal that the room was empty. Betty stood there in the doorway taking in what she had just seen. Empty. Like he'd never been there. Except for a few photos of them on his wall (she knew some of them had been taken down) and a letter sitting on his desk. Addressed to her. Betty Cooper. The envelope read. She picked it up slowly. Her hand shaking violently, assuming the worst. Her eyes flew over the words as fast as they would let her. As she read the last paragraph, the realisation hit her. It hit her hard.

_I love you, Betty Cooper. I always have and I always will. Forever and always. When we see each other again is going to be a mystery to me, but if I ever have a chance with you when I do, I'll never let you go again._

_Archie_

Tears blinded Betty as she got up from Archie's bed where she didn't realise she had gone, she went back over to the desk to see there was another piece of paper there for her.

_Check the top draw of the desk. I left a few things for you._

She pulled the drawer open with full force to reveal two items. A necklace with a rose charm hanging from it and the ring. The heart-shaped ring he had proposed to her with in the second grade. She clutched the ring to her chest as she felt her knees give way and dropped to the ground. There was a voice that followed yelling through the house at her but she couldn't bring herself to focus on it. The voice came followed by some footsteps coming up the stairs. Mary came flying through the door and rushed over to Betty. The next thing Betty knew, Mary was wrapping her arms around her and Betty let herself fall into them and just cry. That's all she did. Betty had cried for what felt like forever before she could feel like she was falling asleep. The room went silent from for a few seconds before Betty whispered, "He's really gone isn't he,"

* * *

Finally graduating from Riverdale High School should have felt like the best feeling in the world but it wasn't. It never would be. In his heart, he would always be chained down to this place, would never be able to escape. He knew later he'd be preparing to say goodbye to everyone later at Cheryl's graduation party. But only he'd know that he was leaving for the Naval Academy. No one else. He'd knew roughly what he would say to all of them but what he would say to her, was going to be difficult. He always knew that it would be and not being good with words was going to make it harder. He played with the idea of just leaving and not saying a word to her, but that was the last thing he'd want to happen. To see Betty in four years and then feel guilty every time he saw her that he never said anything. Even though this was probably worse than never saying it to her, writing a letter was the best way to convey what he was saying and feeling without it coming out as a bunch of nonsense.

He placed the paper onto his desk and stared at it for a good half an hour before he realised he wasn't writing anything. It remained blank as if he had nothing to say to her and that he didn't want to go. That's what his heart was telling him.

The day finally came around. To say he was terrified about this whole thing, was an understatement. He was more scared than when he was going to be moved down a grade from Betty but this was moving away from her, the most terrifying thing he could ever do. He'd realised for the last two years he had been so stupid for letting her go that night of the dance. He'd realised that he'd let the best thing in his life go and he'd spent the last two years kicking himself about it without even knowing that he had been. Something out the corner of his eye distracted him from his thoughts for a few moments only then to bring him back ten seconds later. One of the pictures of him and Betty had fallen down off of the wall above his desk onto it. He picked it up slowly taking it all in. It was one of the last moments they were happy. One of the last moments before he screwed it all up. He took the picture and placed it into his suitcase. He placed the letter on his desk and made sure the necklace and ring were in the drawer. Taking only a few steps back to his bed, he pulled the final suitcase off and made his way to his door. He looked back into the room for the final time for a long time.


	2. Two

_Four Years Later._

The taxi drove away as Betty looked up the small path leading to her door. Nothing much had changed apart from there were a few new flowers on each side of the path and the grass may be a little bit greener but besides from that everything looked like the home that Betty remembered it to be. The home she grew up in. Betty pushed her long blond hair behind her ears as she leant down to grab her suitcase. She'd let her hair grow out to just above the middle of her back. Moving to college gave Betty the ideal time to change her style from the usual sweaters and the high ponytail to something more adventurous. Something the old her never would have thought of even trying on. Betty pulled her suitcase up the steps and down the path right to the front door, thinking of the million possible things she could say to her mom when she opened the door. She hadn't seen her since the day of her wedding two years back. She paused right outside of the door and took a deep breath in, allowing herself to close her eyes for a few minutes and calm herself down. When she reopened her eyes, the door flung open to reveal her mom standing right in front of her. "I thought I heard a suitcase being rolled up the driveway," Alice said as she pulled her daughter in for a hug. After a few moments, Betty let herself sink into her mom's arms and they stayed there for a good solid five minutes while still having a conversation. Once they had pulled away from each other, Betty walked through the door, her suitcase making a racket while she pulled it behind her. Looking into the living room, she saw Jellybean sitting on the couch with her textbooks surrounding her. Betty walked over towards her, rested her elbows on the back of the sofa and leant forward managing to make Jellybean jump in the process. "How were two years of putting up with my mom? Did she make it a living nightmare for you?" When Jellybean first looked up, she didn't recognise Betty but when she did she smiled at what Betty had just said and then proceeded to laugh. "No. She didn't at all" Betty looked between Jellybean and Alice multiple times. "Are we talking about the same person here?" The laughter echoed throw the halls of the house while the three caught up on what Betty had missed over the last two years. 

* * *

A little while later, Betty took her suitcase up to her room and started to unpack. Looking around her room, Betty was reminded of one of the last times she was in here. When she was looking out of the window at the boy next door. Betty let her mind wander for a few minutes before letting her eyes wander over to her desk where it still was. The letter. The pictures around her mirror. Betty stared at herself through the mirror. Seeing someone she wouldn't have recognised four years previous. Nothing from her past with her to show who she was. Apart from the necklace he'd given her. The necklace she never took off. Not once. Her roommate, Rebecca, constantly told her she was emotionally attached to that necklace (and then continued to mutter under her breath that she was still emotionally attached to him, not that Betty ever heard her say that).

A gentle tap came on the door which snapped Betty back to reality. She turned to face her door to see a redhead leaning up against the door frame with her pink-haired girlfriend standing right behind her. "Hello, dear cousin!" Cheryl said with a smile appearing on her pink lips. Cheryl had ditched her signature red colour for something more natural. "TT said she saw you get out of your taxi earlier when you arrived so I definitely had to come over and welcome you home". Pulling herself away from the door frame, Cheryl walked towards her and grabbed her hands and pulled her into a hug. "You have no idea how nice it is to see someone else familiar for a change" Cheryl pulled back from the hug and just looked at Betty. "My, my, Miss Cooper! I love what you're wearing. It's so not you! But in a good way," Betty was taken aback about how different Cheryl was being towards her. She'd never seen this side of Cheryl, not once, so she assumed that's what Toni brought out in her. "So you have to tell me _everything_ about New Haven! Don't leave anything out. TT and I want to know all the details"

* * *

If you had told Archie Andrews that he would be coming home today four years ago, he would have thought about it every second of his day. Being able to see her again. The girl he has thought about for the last four years, and he would be seeing her only in a matter of hours or days even. That's if she's coming back of course. Archie looked down at his phone to see he had two missed calls.

hello?

**good evening! I heard whispering that you're**

**coming back in a few hours or did I hear that**

**wrong?**

uh yeah I am why

**well I was thinking TT and I could throw you**

**a party tomorrow or is that too much?**

**who am I kidding? of course it's not too much**

**I am in a mood for a party at the moment and what**

**a better time to have one**

we can have a party another time and Cheryl

since when do you need an excuse to

have a party

**you're back to being boring**

**well you'll just have to wait and see what I do**

_Cher_ _if Archie doesn't want a party we can throw one another time_

_you can even throw one for my birthday_

_even though I said I didn't want one_

yeah Toni's right

and anyway I'm not important enough to

throw a party for

**of course you are! anyways**

**I'd better let you get back to coming home**

_just text me and let me know that you're in Riverdale as Cheryl_

_will worry about you no matter how hard she tries_

_not to show it_

Once Toni had managed to get Cheryl to finish talking to Archie, he looked back out of the window of the taxi he had been staring out of. The streetlights eventually stopped as they turned the corner. A small sign came into view. A sign Archie hadn't laid his eyes on for four years. Riverdale. A town with pep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm surprised I managed to get this out today considering I did rewrite it. I wasn't happy with the first draft so I rewrote it and now I'm happy with it. I hope you like it and I'll try and get another chapter up in the next few days


	3. Three

Although she had never been one for waking up late, Betty had allowed herself what was supposed to be a thirty-minute lay in before she went looking for a job. That thirty-minute lay in turned into three hours.

Looking over at the clock which read 12:15, she proceeded to pull the covers back over her head to try and avoid daily life and just to sleep a little longer.

"Good afternoon dear cousin! TT and I are throwing a party at Thistlehouse tonight and you have no excuses not to come. I expect you to be there." A voice called. Betty pulled the covers tighter over her head hoping that Cheryl would eventually leave. Cheryl walked over and stood at the edge of the bed frame and just glared at Betty. "I know you're awake. I'm not stupid. You should have tried moving slower then you might have fooled me" Betty sighed, pulling the duvet from her head, expecting Cheryl to be standing right where her voice came from, instead she was over by Betty's desk, holding the letter.

"Cheryl don't open it. Just put it down" A thought crossed through Cheryl's mind that would make Betty even angrier, but she desperately wanted to know what was in that letter. She looked at Betty and cast her eyes over to the door seeing if she could make a run for it and trap herself in a room and then read it.

The way Cheryl made a run for it and how Betty chased after her just like a scene from a cartoon. In the blur of being pretty much chased around the house, Cheryl had to quickly think on her feet (literally) and made her way into the coat closet. Reading over it, Cheryl couldn't work out what she was reading. Was it a love letter of some sort? Cheryl opened the door and came face to face with Betty. "What is that? Who is it from?" She said passing it back to her. Betty walked into the kitchen, trying to avoid all eye contact from Cheryl. One of the last people Betty would be expecting sitting at the kitchen table was Ellie, her roommate. Betty turned to Cheryl and said "Just drop it, Cheryl. It's nothing"

"It's nothing? Let me try and remember what it said," Cheryl said walking to the kitchen, not realising there was anyone else there, "Oh yeah, ' _I love you, Betty Cooper. I always have and always will. Forever and always'_. Sure, that's nothing."

Ellie choked on her drink. "Wait what? Is this about your friend? The one that left and that you were obviously in love with him but pushed him away. Not like I got that from what you said or anything..." Ellie felt two pairs of eyes on her. "What? I didn't say anything. You were hearing things. Just pretend I'm not here" She slunk down in her chair.

"I don't want to talk about this right now. I've avoided it for the last four years and I don't plan on talking about it now" Betty sighed. "So, Cheryl, you mentioned you're throwing a party tonight?"

Her face lit up. "Yes. TT and I decided to throw a party to get as many people as we can who were at Riverdale High and maybe reunite some friendships. Or that's what TT said and wants. I just want to hopefully cause some chaos and maybe Archie will show up" Cheryl raised her eyebrows and gave Betty a devilish smile.

"I'll be there. Just let me bring Ellie along so I'll have someone who is at least normal with me" Ellie whipped her head around. "You really think I'm normal? Well, suit yourself"

Cheryl stated: "Eight o'clock starting time. Don't be late"

* * *

Loud music came booming even standing at the edge of Thistlehouse, where Betty stood arm in arm with Ellie.

"And why do I have to come again? Please remind me why you thought this was a good idea" Ellie wined

"I don't think this is a good idea. If it makes Cheryl happy, maybe she'll leave me alone. Just thinking about it sounds like I'm thinking the impossible"

Walking in the door made Betty feel overwhelmed by the number of people that had actually shown up. She wasn't expecting that many people.

"If you want to avoid Cheryl all night, the best place to go is the room on the right. I haven't actually seen her go in there yet" A voice came from the right of both of the girls causing them to move their heads in sync. "Thought I'd try and get a word in before Cheryl came over anyway"

"Hey Toni" Betty smiled. "This is Ellie" Ellie gave a brief smile towards Toni before recognising Cheryl in the distance. "Just a heads up, Cheryl's coming this way"

Betty absentmindedly started playing with her necklace. It was something she always did when she was nervous.

"Why so nervous cousin? I love that necklace. Where on earth did you get it? It's actually really pretty"

Betty tried to think of what to say and not give too much away to Cheryl but had obviously left it too long as Ellie started speaking.

"She told me this story once, she won't remember that she did," Betty glared at Ellie. "She said something like her best friend gave it to her before he left and she wears it all the time so she has a little part of him still with her as she hasn't spoken to him in a few years. I think his name is Archie. She talks about him pretty much all the time without even knowing that she does."

"When did I tell you all of this?"

"Umm I think, we went on a road trip and it was the only time I'd ever seen you drunk and I asked you who the guy was in the pictures you had up in our dorm and you told me your whole life story with him"

Betty looked over at Cheryl who's smile was as wide as the Cheshire cats.

"Anyways, there is food and drink through that room. Help yourselves" Toni changed the subject while Cheryl kept grinning. She walked closer to Betty and whispered. "I'll make sure she doesn't tell anyone"

* * *

Looking down at the cup in his hand, Archie was just contemplating leaving. He was hoping he was going to see at least someone he knew quite early on so he could make his way home quickly. He turned to his left to see Reggie making his way over to him. "Andrews. Long time no see"

"Hey, Reggie" A wave of silence came over the two of them.

"You've been stood there for about ten minutes and not spoken to anyone. Did you turn the whole town against you when you left?" Reggie laughed trying to lighten the mood.

"Probably yeah" Archie smiled

"You seen Cooper around since you came back?" Reggie asked

"No. I'm going to run into her at some point it's not worth trying to look for her" Archie answered

"Suit yourself then. I'm pretty sure I saw her walk through that door a little while ago so you might see her tonight after all" Reggie tapped Archie on the arm and then walked away.

Archie scanned the room to see if he could find someone he knew. His eyes landed on a blond. It was her. The glowing blond hair draped around her.

His brain was telling him to talk to her but his heart was telling him to stay where he was.

Fate would bring them together and even closer the next time. The next time he wouldn't miss the opportunity.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, I haven't updated for a while but I'm back now! I didn't have any inspiration for a couple of weeks. I should have another chapter up sometime this week.


End file.
